Land on my Feet
by ReynaRed
Summary: Katrina Wood has a secret. A secret that could ruin her life, if it were to be told. And in time, the only person she feels she can share this secret with, is none other than the Clown Prince of crime: The Joker.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

"_What-ah have you done _this _time, Kat?" He demanded, his eyes flashing, his tone dangerous. I cowered behind my hands as I prepared for the blow that would surely come. _

"_I-I didn't mean it, Jay, honest! I was just trying to help…" My voice trailed off, I knew he wasn't listening. _

"_Have you forgotten EVERYTHING I taught you?" His voice trembled with rage as he enunciated the 't' at the and of 'taught.'_

"_Why are you so angry with me? I followed YOUR plan, Jay! I did what you told me to do, and now you're punishing me? That hardly seems fair!" In hindsight, I don't know why I argued with him. You could never win a disagreement with Jay. _

_He emitted an inhuman growl and slapped me across my cheek. I crumpled to the ground, my face stinging. His face set in a furious expression, he landed a well-placed kick to my side, knocking the wind out of me._

"_Next time, follow di-rec-tions," lost in his fury, he stomped out of the room. He stopped suddenly and turned on his heel so he faced my quaking figure on the floor. A wicked grin stretched across his face._

"_Oh, and remember, Kat. Life. Isn't-ah. Fair."_

**Hey guys! Hope you liked the teaser (~^_^)~ There will be more soon, I promise!**

**-Reyna**


	2. Chapter 2: Here we go

_"Where am I? What is this place?" I turn my head to my left and I find that I am standing at the end of a long corridor._

_ "Hello?" My voice echoes down the seemingly endless hall. I take a step forward. As I do, I can hear someone behind me, also placing their foot down on the cement floor. Mimicking me. I turn my head slightly to look over my left shoulder, and catch a glimpse of someone's coattail whipping around a corner. Both my hands involuntarily clench into fists at my side, turning my knuckles white._

_ "Who's there?" My voice wavered and broke, barely a whisper. I clear my throat and take a step backwards. I don't trust myself to confront this stranger in a place I don't know. So I turn, and begin walking quickly in the direction that I had originally been facing. Feeling suddenly panicked, I begin to run. My hair whips around my eyes as I glance behind me, hearing the footsteps copying mine. To my right, I hear a small chuckle. The chuckle grows to a guffaw, and soon turns to hysterics. I clap my hands over my ears, but the laughter is in my head. Deafening me from the inside out. "STOP! STOP IT!" My legs hurt, I can't run anymore. My eyes slide shut and the laughter rattles inside my skull, mocking my desperation._

"No!" I bolted upright out of bed, my sheets sticking to the sheen of sweat on my legs. I blinked, disoriented, and inhaled deeply through my nose. "Ugh…" I moaned, rubbing my eyes. The nightmares were becoming more frequent now, and I _hated _it. I was 18, for Pete's sake. I needed my rest. Yawning hugely, I grunted and swung my legs over the edge of the bed.

"Sweetie? Are you okay?" My mother's tone no longer hinted any concern; my nightmares had been going on for so long.

"Fine, Mom!" I stood and walked over to my mirror. _I look like hell._ I sighed and picked up my brush, yanking it through my wavy black hair. Finished, I walked to a box containing some clothes. I pulled on a shirt and a pair of pants without really looking at them.

Last night had been different, breaking the consistency of content usually in my dreams. I'd never actually _seen _anyone in the hallway. Last night I'd seen the flash of a purple coattail. A timid knock on my door scattered my thoughts.

"Katrina, can I come in?" My mother's voice was slightly muffled from behind my door.

"Yeah Mom, you're good." I plopped down onto my bed as my mother swung the door open.

"You're almost finished packing, I see." Her smile was wide, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings. I stood and walked to her, wrapping my arms around her middle.

"Oh, Mom, it's okay. It's just college." I heard her sniff quietly, her composure slipping.

"I know baby, it's just hard…" She stepped back and put both her hands on my shoulders and looked me up and down. "You're so beautiful," she said, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. I leaned my cheek into her palm and smiled.

"Thank you, for doing this. Paying for tuition and the dorm, I mean." I pulled my mother into another hug. Whispering I said, "It really means so much to me."

"You're welcome Katrina," her mouth curled upward into a small smile as she dried her eyes. "Get ready and come downstairs for breakfast, we have to be on campus for orientation at eleven."

_Shit, eleven? What time is it? _I looked at my digital clock, the one I was leaving behind with my mom. The red letters flashed '10:12.' Great. So I had _some _time.

"Make it fast, Kat, we don't want to be late!" My mother's voice faded slightly as she walked downstairs.

I reached into my purse and pulled out a small bag. I wasn't one for large amounts of foundation or blush; I usually applied only eye makeup. I leaned towards my mirror and heavily lined my eyes. Flipping the tip of the pencil up slightly, I made a wing in the outer corner of my eye. I repeated the process to my other eye, and then quickly applied my mascara. I placed the makeup bag back into my purse and slung it over my shoulder, slipping my black Vans onto my feet as I did so. After checking myself one last time in the mirror, I went downstairs.

"Mom? Mom what are you-" I stopped talking when I saw my mother, leaning with her elbows on the kitchen counter with a look of horror plastered onto her face. I stepped into the kitchen to see what she was watching.

"The mass-murderer known publicly as "The Joker" made another appearance last night at a fundraiser hosted by Harvey Dent. Witnesses say The Joker had made threats towards Dent, at one point telling partygoers that he would "settle for his loved ones." After doing some more research, city cops have concluded that…"

"Mom… _Mom." _I shook her shoulder, breaking her from the trance she seemed to have drifted into. I walked to the television and pushed the power button. "You don't need to be watching this. You know you never like what you hear." Mother shuddered visibly.

"Gotham used to be such a nice place, now look at it. Ever since Thomas Wayne and his wife were killed, nothing's been the same." She pushed her palms wearily into her eyes and rubbed, hard.

"Mom, stop." I grabbed her hands and set them in her lap. The news had always made her distressed, and I didn't like it when Mom was upset. "What are we having to eat?" I said, trying to distract her. She blinked, confused, and then opened her eyes wide.

"Oh honey! I'm so sorry, I forgot to make something! I just got caught up with all that's happening on the news, I guess." She gestured ruefully towards the television. "We need to get rid of that stupid thing. It's making me slow." I couldn't help but laugh at her expression. She seemed genuinely angry with the TV. She noticed my giggle and laughed along with me.

"I guess we'll just to grab something to eat on the way," she said, obviously disappointed that she didn't have enough time to cook.

"Mom, it's fine. I'm not all that hungry. Besides, skipping one meal couldn't hurt." I patted my stomach and Mom slapped my hand.

"Oh, hush. You're thin as a twig, you don't need to lose weight." It was true. My slender figure sometimes seemed a little _too _slender. I wasn't underweight, but I was close.

"Eeep! Its Time!" My mother clapped her hands together in a way that said _'let's get movin!' _"Are you sure you're ready?"

"Mo-om!" Hah. I haven't used this tone since I was around 14.

"Alright, alright." My mom chuckled lightly, giving me a reassuring smile. College, huh. It's exciting and terrifying at the same time. As we climb into the car, I'm thinking: A_nd here… We… Go._

**Sorry for the short chapter! It's more to introduce characters, but things will get more interesting. In good time, my friends. All in good time.**

**-Reyna**

**P.s. I don't own that last line. I did, indeed, quote The Joker.**


	3. Chapter 3: To the moon

_ BEEEEEEEPP! _"Learn how to drive, you damn psycho!" My mother's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as she craned her neck forward, in the matter of a much older woman. Her graying brown locks surrounded her kind, blue, eyes as she glared at the reckless driver who'd cut us off. She glanced over at me in the passenger seat, my hand over an amused grin. She focused her eyes back onto the road and smiled sheepishly. "Excuse my language," she said softly. I giggled at how her tone had turned from rage to embarrassment in a mere second.

"It's okay, Mom, I've heard worse." She chuckled.

"Yes, I know you have." My smile faded at the subtle mention of my father. Mom noticed my sudden solemnness and raised her eyebrows in a look of concern.

"Oh god honey, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I was just-" I held up a hand to stop her.

"I know, Mom. It's okay. I'm fine." I lowered my hand into my lap and intertwined my fingers, weaving them together in a crisscross pattern. I stared out the window at the passing cars and tried hard not to cry, letting my hair fall into my face. My mom sighed, and we were silent for the rest of the drive.

When we arrived at the college campus, Mom stopped the car and looked me in the eye. I avoided her gaze and stared down at my ripped jeans. _Classy._ I started slightly as my mother spoke in a small voice.

"Katrina, I really am sorry for mentioning your father. I didn't mean to upset you." She reached for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You know I love you, right?" She was looking at me, trying to analyze my reactions and emotions. I arranged my face into a vaguely happy expression and replied,

"I'm aware." I smiled. "And I love you too. Lots and lots." Mom grinned, pleased with my answer, and hugged me the best she could with her seatbelt on.

"Tons and tons."

"Bushels and bushels," I said, my smile genuine now.

"To the moon and back." There were tears in my mom's eyes.

"To infinity and beyond." My eyes, too, were damp as I quoted my favorite movie. We laughed tearfully and hugged for a few moments until we drew back. Sniffling, but smiling. I looked out the car's tinted window and noticed small groups of students milling around the campus, led on by a man or woman in a gold and red shirt.

"Looks like it's time for you to go." My mom brushed my hair out of my face. "Is this where you want me to pick you up?" I looked around us, memorizing the area.

"Yeah, this is fine." I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed out of the car, grabbing my purse. I shut the car door and bent over to look into the window. "I'll call you when orientation's over."

"Alright, sweetie." Have fun and _be safe." _I smiled knowingly at my mother's concern.

"I will." I straightened out and began to walk away from the car, towards my new school. I heard the car horn blare as my mom screeched out of the parking lot. _She's crazy. _I shook my head and grinned, continuing my walk onto the wonderful campus. Looking around, I didn't see any more groups of new students. _Crap. _I was going to have to search the campus until I found one.

As I walked, I admired the buildings. The sleek stone of the structures seemed to glow in the morning light. Many of the buildings were surrounded my tall trees and flowerbeds, with the blossoms exploding with gorgeous colors. I was about to bend over to read a plaque next to the Zoology building when I spotted them: A group of about 6, walking into Forensic Sciences. I exhaled in a gust. _Finally! _I walked swiftly towards the group, and followed them through the double doors. They were talking almost in whispers, and bunched together in a tight circle. _Cliques already? Wow. _I wandered a few paces away from the students and examined the crime scene pictures hanging on the walls. My eyes were drawn to one picture in particular.

The scene showed yellow tape, blocking off a whole section of a neighborhood, as multiple cop cars parked around it. One cop, who I recognized as Commissioner Gordon of the GCPD, was talking into a megaphone as other cops crouched behind their vehicles. I closed my eyes and imagined the past.

_"How many are in there?" Asked the Commissioner. A young cop answered his question._

_ "About four, maybe five." Gordon's face went pale._

_ "The suspect?"_

_ "Scared as his hostages." Gordon shouted something into the megaphone as the young cop turned to his senior partner. "What kind of gun is he using?" His partner looked annoyed. _

_ "How should I know?" The young cop put his hand to his own gun. Snugly fastened onto his belt._

_ BANG, BANG, BANG!_

_ "Everybody down!" Gordon's voice struggled to rise above the gunshots that echoed down the street. "Everyone get down! Get down and stay down! Get-" Gordon cried out as a bullet was fired into his shoulder._

_ "Commissioner!" The young cop ran to his senior's aide. "Somebody help! Officer down! Officer down!" Suddenly, the cop's body lurched forward. Once, twice, three times, before he fell. Slumping onto Gordon's unconscious figure. Blood seeped from the cop's stomach and mouth, mixing with the Commissioner's blood on the road. _

_ Screams of confusion and horror surrounded the two. A man, some ways down the street, dragged a woman from a house by her hair. The woman screamed and pleaded for help, but fell silent as her captor put a gun to her head. The man shouted something unintelligible, tears of rage streaming down his face._

_ Bystanders screamed and fled, leaving behind the cops and the two in the street. The man yelled another flurry of angry words, and without warning, shot the woman in the head. Cops open fired, sending the man to his knees, blood seeping from his chest. The man coughed once, spraying blood. He slumped, and died. _

I shuddered, trying to erase the images of the wounded and killed from my mind. _Why did I think that would be a good idea? _That didn't usually happen, though my mind could paint some pretty gory pictures. Just one of my many mental talents, I guess.

I sidestepped and looked at the next one. A man and his canine companion: side by side. I admired the photo until I noticed something strange. The group of students was no longer talking. All of them men, I realized, had turned to face me. Some looked angry, one perplexed. The leader, it seemed, looked amused. Almost smug. He turned to his group and grinned.

"Well?" I simply stood there, like an idiot. When one of the men, tall and muscular took a step towards me, my stomach lurched.

"Let's not make this difficult," the man said. I gasped, turned, and ran. The leader of the group cursed and gestured for the man to go after me.

Straightening my arms out in front of me, I pushed open the double doors and shot out of the building. My legs burned and I mentally cursed myself for not getting into any excursive the previous summer. My Vans slapped the sidewalk loudly and I ran. I came to a point on campus where the sidewalk went slightly downhill. I turned to my right, towards the slant. My legs were moving so quickly, I was kicking myself in the ass. _Ow, ow, ow, ow ow…. _I couldn't stop now. Though my lungs threatened to collapse and my heart was showing signs of bursting. I squeezed my eyes tight against the pain and pumped my legs harder. Suddenly, both my feet were behind me, my body falling forward.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. I had run into an open area of grass, still wet from the sprinklers. Terrain that my old, worn-out Vans couldn't handle. I fell on my front, sliding forward a bit on my belly like a penguin. I swore out loud as the large man grabbed me around my middle, throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Let go of me! Who the hell do you think you are? PUT. ME. DOWN!" I pounded my fists into his back as he carried me back to the Forensic Sciences building. I continued to yell as he set me down on a chair. Cursing him, his family, and all his future children, grandchildren, etc.… He bound my wrists together with a rope he pulled out of _nowhere_ and tied my ankles too. Finally, his patience with all my yelling seemed to expire and he slapped me hard across the face. I knew better than to keep screaming as I held a hand up to my stinging cheek. The man stepped back to make room for the group leader.

"Well, well, _well." _The man smirked. "Looks like someone's been _eavesdropping _on our little plans_." _

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" I practically spat the words at him as he laughed in my face.

"Liar." He chuckled. "You expect me to believe you heard _none _of our conversation when you were standing about _three feet away?" _

"I wasn't _listening." _My eyebrows furrowed. "Who are you anyway?" The man narrowed his eyes.

"Like you don't know." I sighed exasperatedly. This was getting tiresome. And I was getting scared.

"I DON'T!" I screamed the last word so loudly, my vocal cords felt like they were tearing in my throat. The man clapped a hand over my mouth.

"If you want to keep your head intact, I'd suggest _against _screaming." Tears began streaming down my face. _What is going on? _Nothing I'd ever done was worthy of punishment like this. One of the men from the group spoke.

"Maybe we should take her to the boss. He'll know how to make her talk_." _The guy with his hand on my mouth turned to me, grinning wickedly.

"He'll make her _sing." _My eyes widened at his threatening tone. _What?!_

_ "_Yeaaaahh… Good idea, Mike." The man who suggested taking me to his boss, with bulging muscles and greasy red hair, visibly puffed up with pride.

"I know," Mike smiled evilly as the man who'd silenced me spoke.

"Donny, get the van." Donny, who looked like he hadn't slept days, had tousled brown hair and a gangly frame. His eyes flicked to mine briefly, showing no emotion.

"On it, Brian." Donny loped awkwardly out the doors and made his way to the college parking lot. Brian looked down at me, then to Mike.

"Gag her." My eyes widened with protest as Mike shoved a dirty handkerchief from his back pocket into my mouth. _Oh god, that's disgusting. _I heaved once, threatening to vomit, but held it back. If I did that now, I'd probably choke myself because of the gag.

Mike detached me from the chair and carried me outside. I struggled against his grip, but he squeezed my arms tight and whispered in my ear.

"Try anything funny, and I'll snap your arm at the elbow." I stopped fighting him and shut my eyes, tears flowing freely. When I opened them, we had reached the van. Mike threw me in first, and climbed in after me, followed by the other three men whose names I didn't know. Donny climbed out of the driver's seat and switched to the other side as Brian took the wheel. Brian looked back at Mike, then at me.

"Do you _want _her to know where we're going?" He asked sarcastically.

"Oh!" My eyesight was suddenly compromised as Mike roughly pushed the palm of his hand to my face. "No peeking now," he giggled. I shook my head in a silent protest. Mike laughed. "The boss is going to have fun breaking _this _one, huh Brian?" I heard Brian laugh quietly.

"He sure is." I gasped and choked; my nasty gag made it difficult to breathe. My eyes blinked uselessly against Mike's hand. _Shit. I'm going to die. _

My mind wandered back about an hour. When I had said goodbye to my mom. I choked on a sob. Oh no, what was the last thing I'd said to her? I couldn't remember exactly…

_"I love you to the moon and back."_

**Dun, dun duuuuunnn! What a day for poor Kat, huh? Anyone figure out her secret yet? No? It will pop up somewhere. Sometime soon, too. Read and review!**

**-Reyna**


	4. Chapter 4: The man in charge is WHO?

**Hey just a quick warning, this chapter has a few swears, so beware. (Hey that rhymes!)**

_ "Katriiiiinaaa!" I giggled as my mother's voice echoed down the hallway of my house. From my hiding spot underneath the dining room table, I could see the kitchen and a stairwell leading to the second story. I tried to silence my breath as I watched my mom's shoes tiptoe past my spot on the floor. A small giggle slipped out of my lips and millisecond later, my mom's upside-down face appeared in front of me. "GOTCHA!" _

_ "Nooooo!" I squealed loudly as my mother's hands grabbed my ankles and dragged me from underneath the table. She wrapped me in her arms and planted kisses all over my face._

_ "Where have you been? I was so worried that you were going to miss the wonderful bath I have waiting for you!" Mom scooped me up and carried me into the hall._

_ "NO, NO, NO, NO!" My protests made my mother laugh as she walked into the bathroom, and pulled my shirt over my head. _

_ "Please, sweetheart? For me?" She widened her eyes and stuck out her lip in an overly exaggerated puppy dog face. I crossed my arms in defeat. _

_ "Fine." My mother smiled triumphantly._

_ "That's my girl." The sudden slamming of the front door wiped my mother's face clean of her grin. _

_ "FRANCINE!" My mother stood, suddenly panicked. She walked towards the door and I followed. Being with my mother made me feel somewhat secure around my father. She turned and put her hand out to stop me. _

_ "Stay here and lock the door." I couldn't read her face, but her voice betrayed to me her fear. When she walked out, I closed the door and locked it, as she instructed. I stepped forward and pressed my ear to the wood, listening. _

_ "What the hell was that today?" My father's loud voice carried throughout the house, making me shake. My mother's muffled response was unintelligible though the bathroom door. "Didn't I tell you NEVER to call me at work?!" This time, I could hear my mom's reply._

_ "It was a question about Kat's SCHOOL for Christ's sake!" As soon as she said it, I knew what would come after. I heard a loud thump, then my mother cry out. I flung the door open, raced down the hallway, and stopped in the living room. My mother had seemingly collapsed onto the couch, holding her face. My father towered over her menacingly. He then turned to me, his face purple with anger. _

_ "WHY AREN'T YOU IN THE BATH?" He bellowed. I was petrified as my father stomped towards me. Grabbing my wrist roughly, he tugged me behind him back to the bathroom. _

_ "Please, Hank, don't hurt her! Don't hurt my baby!" My mother's face was contorted with pain and grief as my father slammed the bathroom door shut and faced me._

_ "Take off your damn clothes," he growled. My young fingers fumbled with the button on my corduroys, making him impatient. In one swift movement, my father knocked me on my butt, and ripped the pants from my legs. He smirked at the sight of me, helpless and naked on the floor, and then turned to the tub. Swishing his hand in the soapy water, he frowned. "Too warm." His hand reached up and cranked up the cold water. Shooting out of the nozzle, the water misted me with freezing drops and I shuddered, goose bumps raising the hairs on my arm. After a few minutes, my father grinned evilly. "Time for your bath, Katrina." He slipped his hands under my arms and plopped me into the frigid water. I protested immediately. _

_ "It's too cold!" My father's grin disappeared._

_ "Do you not know how much I sacrifice for you and your mother, Katrina?" I stopped struggling, terrified of his tone of voice. It was calm, but his face was twisted into a scowl. He paused, and then continued, his voice rising steadily. "Everyday, I work my ASS off to support this family. And what do I get in return? An ungrateful daughter, and a wife who doesn't work!" Suddenly, I heard a pounding on the bathroom door. _

_ "Hank, please! She's only seven! She doesn't understand!" My mother's voice cracked, and she began sobbing. My father ignored her and once again turned to me. _

_ "You'll learn to appreciate what I do, you little brat. Until then, I intend to TEACH you. Teach you what I expect from you, and what you'll expect from me." I sat in the tub, fearful and shivering from the water._

_ "Dad, please, the water…. It's too cold." At once, my fathers hand shot out, clutching at my hair. _

_ "This is MY house, Katrina. And you WILL learn." With that, my father pushed my head forward, into the water. My open eyes stung from the soap, and my mouth filled with water. My scalp felt afire as my father pulled me backwards, gasping. I only had time to take a small half-breath before I was forced back down. My head cracked against the porcelain tub, turning the water red around my eyes. My mouth opened as I involuntarily gasped, filling my lungs with water. I couldn't breathe, yet he still held me there. My eyes slid shut and I could hear my mother's cries on the other side of the door. My insides ached for oxygen, and my mouth opened and closed. _

_ Air… I needed air…_

"Uh, Brian, she don't look too good." _Huh? Brian? Who…. Oh god. _My eyes snapped open against a blindfold, and I pulled in a frantic breath, the oxygen barely sneaking around the crusty, makeshift gag in my mouth. I was in a van. A van filled with men I didn't know. A tear escaped under the blindfold and the driver, Brian, spoke.

"She looks okay now. Whaddaya say we ungag you, sweetheart?" His voice dripped with venom and irritation, as if ungagging me was the absolute _last _thing he wanted to do. I didn't reply, my stubbornness overpowering my despair as I frowned, annoyed about not being able to see. A moment passed, and then I felt a hand brush against my hair. I flinched and leaned away from the person's touch.

Mike spoke. "Hey, if you want to keep that in your mouth, it's fine by me." I hesitated, and then nodded slowly. I stiffened as he brushed my hair back once more, untying the handkerchief. I gasped and spat as soon as it left my mouth. I wiped my mouth on my shoulder and spat again, onto the floor.

"Watch it!" Mike cried, scooting his legs away from my saliva. I knew, without looking at his shoes, that they'd encountered things far more unsanitary than my spit.

"Sorry," I mumbled, not sorry at all. Donny, the man in the passenger seat, mumbled something to Brian. I couldn't hear what, but I caught the words _girl _and _boss. _ "What are you talking about?" I hissed. Donny's whispers ceased, and I heard him shift uncomfortably in his chair.

"You'd better watch your attitude, sweetheart, or you might just get popped." Brian laughed bitterly. "And it won't be my doing." I glared into my blindfold, imagining my eyes burning holes through the fabric and into his skull.

"Stop calling me 'sweetheart,' okay?" Brian laughed again, clearly amused by my request, but otherwise ignored me. We sat in silence for a moment, as I realized my predicament. What did these men want with me? Clearly, they thought I'd heard something _secret _that I wasn't supposed to, but was kidnapping me _really _necessary? And who is this Boss they keep talking about? I moved my wrists, feeling the burn of the rope, rubbing into my skin. I shifted, testing my limits. Could I slip out of my bindings? I tugged hesitantly at the rope, moving my arms to the right. My shoulder ached and popped quietly. _Nope._

Mike cleared his throat as the van slowly rolled to a halt.

"We're heeereee!" Brian announced cheerfully. "You can take the blindfold off her now, Mike." I felt a few hairs being ripped out of my scalp as Mike clumsily slipped the blindfold over my head. I squinted against the florescence, produced by a lone light on the side of the building. Looking up at the moon, I saw that is was about eight at night.

We were at an abandoned-looking warehouse. I couldn't help but chuckle lightly, it was so cliché. I felt a sudden release at my ankles. I looked down at the small heap of rope at my feet. Brian straightened out, pocketing the small blade.

"Did you expect us to carry you, princess?" He smirked mockingly as he pulled me forward by my shirt. "Get out of the car." I jerked out of his grasp and fell forward onto the asphalt, unable to catch myself with my bound hands.

"Don't. _Touch me._" I grunted as I tried to stand up. A sharp pain in my side sent me crumbling back onto the ground. I looked up, surprised. Brian's leg swung back, ready to kick me again. I shut my eyes right as the kick struck me below my ribs. I cried out and Brian yanked me to my feet by my hair and leaned in close to my face.

"I warned you, _sweetheart._" His breath stank of stale beer and cigarettes as he snarled. I spat in his eyes. "Ugh…" He released his hold on me as he stumbled back, wiping at his eyes. A few feet away, he rolled up his sleeves and took a step towards me. "So help me, _princess, _if I have to warn you one more time, I swear I'll-" Brian stopped talking as a menacing laugh echoed down the alleyway we were currently parked in. Everyone turned towards the sound, and as one, took a step back. Save me, of course. I leaned forward, curious of this laughing stranger. Perhaps he could help me.

Brian, though, seemed to know what I was thinking and yanked me back by the rope binding my wrists together.

"Boss," he said, his voice shaking slightly. _Boss? Shit. _I strained my eyes against the heavy darkness of the alley. The "Boss," though, had stopped at the very edge of where the light could reach. He chuckled again.

"What-ah did you bring me, _boys?_" The figure shifted his weight onto one leg in a lazy stance. Brian shoved me forward towards the man.

"A spy," he spat, irritated.

"A spy…" The figure drawled. "She looks too young-ah." Brian didn't hesitate, telling the figure about me being in the Forensic Sciences building as the group discussed their "plans."

"_Plans. I_ don't make plans-ah." The man sounded offended. "Only the schemers have their…_ Plans. _I'm not-ah that kind of guy." _Wait a second… _Something about the man's voice seemed horribly familiar. I gasped as then man stepped into the light to reveal his face. _No way. _The Joker smiled at me menacingly, like I was a bug that was about to be ground into the asphalt underneath his foot. "Take her inside." He waved his hand dismissively, not bothered by my presence.

"Wait, no! I'm not a spy!" Brian locked his arms around my middle and lifted me off the ground. "This is wrong, you've got the wrong girl!" I screamed and kicked Brian in the shins as he began to carry me away.

"Ugh," Brian grunted, turning to Donny. "Care to tie her ankles again before the bitch shatters my damn leg?" Donny nodded, and began to tie my ankles, when the Joker appeared out of _nowhere. _He shoved Donny aside and held a blade up to Brian's throat, causing him to drop me on the ground.

"There's no need-ah, for tha_t_ kind of _language." _His tongue flicked out of his mouth, wetting his lips, as his eyes bore straight into Brian's. "Un-der-stand?" Brian nodded hastily and squeezed his eyes shut. For a moment, I pitied Brian. I knew how terrified he must've been. _Wait, what am I thinking? The man kidnapped me, for God's sake! _I didn't have time to think about Brian, though. The Joker had released him, and turned to me. He reached my side in two long strides, and offered me his hand. Instinctively, I flinched away and covered my head with my arms. I heard his shoes squeak against the wet pavement as he turned back to Brian.

"What-ah did you _do_ to her?" I looked up, and was surprised to see the defensiveness flash in the Joker's eyes. In the meantime, Brian was looking much less noble.

"N-nothing beyond reason, boss." Brian's stance was submissive. He definitely wasn't as tough with the Joker as he was with me. The Joker's eyes narrowed.

"Of course no_t."_ And without another word, he turned and stalked into the warehouse. Everyone was silent, evidently shocked. Brian was the first to move. Picking me up, he struggled to carry me after the Joker.

I'm not stupid, I knew better than to struggle. Instead, I went completely limp. Mentally laughing at Brian as he lugged my dead weight into a large open space, filled with wooden crates. I was vaguely aware of the rest of the Joker's gang filing in behind us as I surveyed my new surroundings.

At this point, I realized that I couldn't cry anymore. Not only was I mentally and physically spent, but I also needed to find a way to escape. Looking around, I noticed a few more men sitting around a small table, playing cards. One of the three looked up and met my eyes, showing concern. He was younger, maybe 23, with dark brown hair arranged into a messy ponytail. His companions nudged him irritably, and his attention was drawn back to their game.

Brian left my side, not caring about leaving me alone. I sighed. I knew that meant there was no easy way out of the warehouse. I was stuck. I turned around to look at the entrance, now guarded by Mike and a thug whose name I didn't care to know. A voice behind me broke my concentration.

"Hey there, sugar, what brings you to this side of the tracks?" An arrangement of crude laughter followed the thug's bad joke. I felt hot breath on my neck as a rough-handed mad placed his palm on my shoulder. Without thinking, I whirled around and kneed the man in the groin, causing him to collapse to the ground in pain. His friends looked at me in astonishment. One bald man stepped over his friend and stretched his arms towards me.

"That wasn't very nice." He smirked, pulling his lips over his gums to reveal yellowing teeth and rancid breath. I quickly faked a shot to his gut with my left, then sucker punched him in the mouth, feeling a tooth come loose and an explosion of warm blood. _Whoa. When did I learn to do that? _I watched the man double over, grunting, and then I ran.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going, _sugar?" _I heard chairs squeal against the cement floor as the card players stood, joining the group of angry thugs. I recognized the voice of the rough-handed man as he shouted above the tumult of the crowd.

"GET HER!" Before I could decide what to do, I was surrounded by malicious, overweight, men working for the Joker. Must be Monday.

**Oh gawd. What a night for our little Kat! Please leave a review; I'd appreciate the feedback! Until next time!**

**~Reyna~**


	5. Chapter 5 My nightmare

_Shit. I'm going to die. I'm dead, I'm dead, I am SO dead. _The Joker's men had made a lopsided circle around me, and were closing in fast. I had no way out. One of the men, short and overweight, took a step towards me.

"Listen babe, we don't want any trouble, but if you dish it out, you gotta be able to take it _back. _Understand?" He took another step, making me flinch instinctively. "You _scared, _girl?" His eyes flashed menacingly.

"Of _course _she is!" My eyes widened, searching for the source of the new voice. The young man with the ponytail shoved his way into the thug's circle and faced me. "You O.K.?" I hesitated, and then nodded slowly. He exhaled in a gust and turned towards the group of men. "Is there a problem here?" His tone was confident, but I doubted this man could overpower around 12 experienced killers. To my surprise, they all nodded swiftly, and dispersed. I turned to the man, my eyes wide.

"What-? Who…. Why?" He smiled and laughed.

"Even _those _guys don't want to mess with the boss's right-hand man!" His chest puffed up proudly. I shrunk back.

"You mean the Joker?" His eyes met mine briefly.

"Yeah, the Joker." He deflated. "It's pretty low of me, I know. But this job… It's all I got." I almost felt sorry for this man. He was so young, and handsome too. I wondered why someone like him would have to stoop this low. A dark chuckle interrupted my train of thought.

"_What's _so low of you, Jack?" I gasped loudly. _Him. _I looked up to see the Joker, standing above us on a tower of crates labeled: _Warning, explosives! Handle with care._ All of the crates had the 'this side up' label pointing to the cement floor. The man beside me, Jack, was gaping. I resisted the urge to reach out and manually close his mouth.

"Boss! I was just telling-" He looked at me expectantly, almost begging me.

"Kat," I replied automatically. He looked back to the Joker.

"I was telling _Kat, _about how I had too… Steal! I had to steal some, uh, _food,_ from the store yesterday…" His excuse trailed off pathetically. The Joker grinned, his scars stretching like rubber.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, _no. _I understand-ah, Jack. This is about as _low _as you can get!" He flung his arms wide, gesturing to the space around us. I had to agree, it was pretty damn low. The Joker stepped onto a crate below him, using it as a stair, and made his way down to where Jack and I stood. "Don't apologize, I'm not offended-ah." He looked me up and down, his eyes narrowing. I shivered and stepped behind Jack. "Hmm," He grumbled. "You don't look like a spy… BUT, you could be useful." The Joker looked over to where the man I'd punched in the mouth was nursing his wounds. "Yeah, useful-ah." He turned and stalked away with hunched shoulders, muttering to himself. Jack and I exchanged a look, perhaps the only normal human interaction I'd had in the warehouse.

"Um, so, what are you guys going to do with me?" I shocked myself, surprise at how nonchalant I sounded, considering the situation I was in. Jack looked at me, surprised as well.

"You're pretty brave for the Joker's hostage." My eyes got wide again.

"Hostage? Is that what I am?" My voice trembled as a lump rose in my throat. _We don't have any money to pay ransom. _I buried my face in my hands and cried freely. _Oh, mom. I'm so sorry. _

"There, there," Jack said, awkwardly patting my back. "It's not as bad as you think." I raised my head.

"It's not? Please explain." I sniffed and rubbed my eyes as Jack scratched his chin.

"Well, yeah. The Joker doesn't usually _have _women hostages." I tilted my head, confused.

"You think the Joker will go easy on me because I'm a _woman? _How many female hostages has the Joker acquired?" Jack stopped itching his chin and looked at me.

"Honestly, none." His tone was apologetic.

"WELL, THAT'S JUST GREAT! FAN-_FREAKING_-TASTIC!" I threw up my hands with frustration, and then pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. "So you have absolutely _no_ idea what he'll do to me?" Jack looked down and mumbled something inaudible. "Excuse me?" I tapped my foot in annoyance.

"I guess I have an _idea…" _Now it was my turn to gape, the idea was so disgusting.

"HE'S GOING TO RAPE ME?" I screeched, making all heads in to room turn to me in confusion. Jacks eyes got _huge_.

"OH! Oh god no, Kat. I mean he might, uh, _kill _you, is what I was going to say." He smiled sheepishly as my hearth thudded loudly in my chest. When I spoke, my voice was barley a whisper.

"You think that's _funny?" _Jack could only smile wider. "What's _wrong _with you?" I demanded, tears flowing freely now. Jack tilted his head back and laughed. I tucked mine, and ran. I'd been doing a lot of running lately. This time, I ran away from the groups of men. I ran until I reached a dark hallway of cement, stretching into a room I couldn't see. I slowed to a jog, and peeked curiously around a corner. There was another hallway. _Huh. I didn't think there would be so much space in a warehouse as small as this. _I ventured down the cold hall, trailing my fingers along the side in search of something. Maybe a switch that could flood the space with light and guide me down this mysterious corridor, I don't know. I had been walking for only a few moments, when I heard someone behind me. I turned, but saw nothing. I quickened my pace; wondering frantically if the hallway would ever end. It ended. When I had turned to look behind me, I'd smashed head-on into a cement wall.

"Shit!" I exclaimed out loud as I fell back. I shut my eyes as I braced myself for the hard floor, but the fall was never completed. I opened my eyes. Someone had _caught _me. I could feel their hands under my arms, and I was briefly reminded of a game I used to play in elementary school.

_"You ready!" The child asks, smiling, as he stands behind the girl. _

_ "Hahaha, yeah!" The girl crosses her arms, falls backwards, and screams: "Trust fall!" Her friend catches her under the arms, and then they both fall to the ground in a fit of giggles._

As I stood, I heard a raspy voice in my ear. "You might want to, uh _watch, _where you're going." I gasped and turned. _It's_ _him. _He watched as my facial expression changed slowly from confusion to terror. I tried to take a step backwards, away from him, but my back met a cool wall of cement. The Joker chuckled darkly, and took another step as well.

"Where _were _you running off to? Not-ah, away, I hope." I could only stare at his sloppily applied face makeup. The red around his cracked lips, the black around his eyes, and the pasty white paint that covered his entire face. In the dark, I thought his ratty curls looked green, but I decided that was a little _too _absurd. Well, considering how he presented himself in a purple trench coat and leather gloves, maybe not. He smirked and took another step, making me want to cry.

"_Well?" _His tongue flicked out of his mouth and wetted his lips. His eyes glared into mine, making me voice waver and break.

"Uh, n-no, I was just… Looking around." This seemed to satisfy him, because he retreated slightly. He studied me, cocking his head and grazed his lips with his tongue.

"A spy, huh?" His eyes met mine, searching for uneasiness and dishonesty. I tried to make my answer as convincing as possible.

"No, Joker, this is _all _a crazy misunderstanding." I looked him straight on, unflinching as I answered. His eyes narrowed, and he moved closer to me.

"A _crazy _misunderstanding?" My eyes enlarged. _I'm an idiot. _

"No, I didn't mean it like that, I just- _urk!" _The Joker's hand shot out and wrapped around my neck before I could finish my sentence. I struggled against his grip and tried to pry his hand away from my neck. In response, he flicked his free wrist and a small blade appeared in his palm. He grinned wickedly and held the knife up to my face, gently caressing my cheek with the side of the blade. I flinched away, turning my head.

"Hey, you look _worried-_ah" I pressed my eyes shut, feeling tears slide down my cheek and onto the knife. "Oh, don't-ah, _cry." _His thumb rubbed my cheek and brushed a lock of hair out of my face. My eyes snapped open when I realized that _I might just fucking die! _My arms, dangling useless by my side, came back to life and shoved the Joker away from me. He stumbled back, surprised by my protests. His shock didn't last long, though. In an instant, he was stalking towards me, shoulders hunched menacingly. With the adrenaline pumping through me, I faked a sidestep, and then ran around his left side. With nothing in front of me but more endless hallway, I sprinted back the way I'd originally come from. Within 30 seconds, I took a chance and peeked over my shoulder. _Thank god. _He wasn't coming after me. _Besides, running with knifes is dangerous. _I chuckled darkly at myself, before slamming into someone standing, almost invisible, in front of me.

"What's so funny, _Kat?" _I only had time to gasp before something hard hit my head, and I fell into a thick darkness.

_I tip my head back and laugh at the scene in front of me. About 70, wealthy, snooty people were ducking their heads and screaming for help. I take a step forward, crunching something weak and light underneath my blood-red sneaker. I lift my foot and examine the shards of a shattered champagne glass on the floor. My expression turns to one of rage as I lift my head to look at the partygoers around me. _

_ "Whose glass is this?" I shriek at the crowd. The room falls silent of all screams and pleads for mercy. "Nobody knows, huh?" I shoot my arm out to my left and snag the collar of a shorter, middle-aged man. With an evil grin, I press my adorable, miniature pistol to the side of his head. "Anyone?" My grin transforms into a scowl as I cock the gun. "Going one… Going twice…-"_

_ "Please stop!" I whip my head around to find the source of the voice. My eyes narrow as they make contact with a young woman, maybe 25 or 26. My smile returned slowly. _

_ "Sold." I throw the man, whimpering, to the polished marble floor. I flick my ironically elegant hair out of my face, and walk towards the woman as she examines me. With my red leather leggings, tight black tank top, long curly hair and creamy white skin, I was probably the sexiest killer she'd ever laid eyes on. So naturally, she was intimidated. Though that might've been because of the knives harnessed to my leg and firearm in my hand. I reached her in seconds, and grabbed her thin wrist with my hand. _

_ "Your glass scuffed my shoes," I hiss in her face. In one fluid motion, I throw her to the ground, forcing her by her hair to look at my shoes. She begins to sob._

_ "I'm sorry! Oh god, I'm so sorry!" I smile, this is what I like. I like to show these rich bastards to know there they _really _belong. _

_ "What are you going to do about it, bitch?" My voice is harsh, and I kick her hard in the chest, making her roll onto her side. I'm about to kick her again, when I feel a small thump on the back of my head. I turn, confused, and look at the ground. An olive? I see a man, presumably the woman's husband, glaring me down. _

_ "Stop it now, or else." I laugh out loud and point my gun at him._

_ "Or else what, pretty boy? You gonna throw another olive at me?" I snarl as my finger moves to the trigger. A voice from behind me halts my action. _

_ "Not-ah tonight, Kat. We need all of them alive." I frown, but lower my gun. _

_ "Sure thing boss." I feel a gloved hand on my shoulder and the voice whispers in my ear._

_ "That's my girl-ah."_

"Wakey wakeyyy," A voice taunted me, and someone shook my shoulder roughly. As I began to come around, all I felt was cold. I shuddered violently and groaned.

"There she is!" Someone exclaimed. After a low thud, a quiet 'ouch' everything was silent. I shifted my weight and found I was bound to a chair. Ropes wrapped around my ankles and wrists, rubbing the skin painfully. I turned my head and opened my eyed slowly. I wasn't blindfolded or gagged, at least. As my sight adjusted, I saw two men standing in front of me. One was slightly hunched; the other was almost bouncing from foot to foot. It was dark, so I couldn't tell who they were, but I had a _pretty _good idea.

"How ya feeling, Kaaaaat?" An enthusiastic voice asked me. All I could do was moan. Louder, this time. _God, my head freakin' hurts. _

"Yes, _Kat_-ah," The other voice drawls. "How are you, uh, feeling?" I managed to form a few words with my dry mouth.

"My… My head…" The bouncy figure turned to the other.

"Shit, boss, what'd you hit her with?" The hunched man shrugged innocently.

"Just ah, my gun." The bouncer laughed nervously.

"Just? She _just _about died!" The hunched man seemed unfazed.

"That would've been, uh, _unfortunate._" Not sounding like he would have cared either way.

I opened my eyes wider, and took in my surroundings. I was in a small room, furnished with a torn couch and an abused pool table littered with abandoned playing cards. A flickering green EXIT sign illuminated a small patch of shag carpet under the door, but its light didn't reach the rest of the room. I couldn't see what was behind me, but at that moment I didn't care. The hunched man was slowly walking towards me.

"It's time to, uh, see if our _spy, _knows anything she probably-ah _shouldn't." _I screamed as the Joker stepped close to me, revealing his features. He turned to his partner and waved his hand airily.

"Time for you to go-ah, Jacky boy." _Jack? _

_ "_But boss I-" The Joker cut him off with an angry growl.

"_Now." _Jack nodded hastily, and fled the room. Pausing in the soft glow of the exit sign only to throw a sympathetic look my way. The Joker watched him until the door closed, and we were alone. _Alone with the Joker. _This couldn't end well.

A few minutes passed. The Joker stared at the door, and I stared at the Joker. I was about to look away from him and work on my bindings, when his head whipped around and his eyes locked with mine.

"So, _Kat."_ I trembled, feeling my head throb painfully. He took a step towards me, and I jerked my head back, wincing as the bruise on my skull collided with the back of the tall chair. He laughed sinisterly, and reached out to stroke my hair.

"Is this, uh, where I _tickled _you?" He slapped the spot with this palm, making me cry out. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I ground my teeth against the pain. I watched as the Joker walked slowly around my chair, examining me from all angles.

"Well built, not too skinny…" He mumbled to himself, taking note of all my physical appearances. His eyes flicked to my face, then back to the rest of me.

"Tough…" I glared daggers at him as he came back to his original spot in front of me.

"But _not _a spy," I spat. He began to giggle, and then laugh without shame. His voice broke, and became high-pitched, making my ears ring. I became annoyed; he was making my head hurt.

"HAH-HAH," I mocked foolishly. That got his attention. He stopped laughing, and studied my face.

"That's not-ah, a _true _laugh." He sounded almost offended.

"No shit," I muttered softly. His face turned suddenly serious.

"Hey, you, uh, wanna know how I got these scars?" His tongue flicked out of his mouth as he stared me down. His look let me know that if I said no, it would probably mean he would kill me.

"Sure, why not?" He smiled, and in a blur of movement, cut my bindings, and hoisted me to my feet. I was relieved at first, until I found out my legs were completely asleep. As soon as he stopped supporting me, I collapsed to the ground. The Joker, however, made no move to help me up. Not that I wanted him to touch me or even come _near _me, of course. He instead slipped his knife out of his sleeve and flipped it open, playing with the edge.

"Have, uh, you ever had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?" He asked sincerely. The question was so out of place in this environment, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Excuse me?" I said between snorts of hilarity. The Joker didn't look too amused. He met my eyes with a look of fierceness I hadn't yet seen in him.

"You, uh, _heard_ me." I raised my hands in mock surrender.

"Okay, okay! Yeah, I _think _I've heard of them." The Joker went back to playing with his knife, flipping it in and out of the handle.

"When I was a child-ah, I used to _love _them." He hesitates, maybe remembering the past. I couldn't imagine him as a child. Only a mini Joker with a round face and scar-less smile.

"After I made them, I'd lick-ah, the peanut butter off the knife. Sometimes, I'd, uh, put the whole _thing_ in my mouth. But one day, my older brother comes into the kitchen and _sees_ me with the knife in my mouth." _Oh no. _I knew where this was going.

"He walks to me, and yanks the, uh, knife out of my _mouth_." He demonstrated the motion with his own knife, tracing the jagged scar oh his right cheek. Suddenly I'm hit with a vision I'd never planned to see.

_A young boy, about 9, looks at the peanut butter-coated knife with longing. His curly, dirty blond hair frames his round face. He looks around, searching for disapproving family members, and sticks the knife in his mouth. He closes his eyes, savoring the taste, when a sudden, harsh voice makes him jump. He cuts the corner of his mouth slightly with the serrated knife. _

_ "You!" The boy opens his eyes to see his older brother, staring meanly down at him. The brother stalks towards him, his eyes fixed on the knife in the boy's mouth. _

_ "That taste good?" His brother smirks. The boy is frozen, his hand clenched around the handle of the blade. The brother frowns at the boy. _

_ "Get that thing out of your mouth." The boy only stares, petrified and unable to move. "I _said_, get it out!" As he yells, the brother yanks the knife out of the boy's mouth, slicing open his cheek from the corner of his mouth, to about an inch below his eye. The boy doesn't cry, but only notices the taste of blood, mixing with that of the peanut butter. _

_ "Hmm," the brother rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Might as well even it out."_

I gasped as I realized what had happened to him. I felt a pang of sadness for the Joker. He used to be a normal kid. A normal kid with a promising future and a bright mind. It wasn't his fault; it was his brother's. I looked up at the Joker, watching him watch me. I couldn't keep a brave face on for long, though. I averted my eyes away from his penetrating, seemingly black, eyes. I felt a change in the air; a whisper of a breeze brushed my cheek. When I looked up, the Joker had gone.

**Whoo! Kat's first one-on-one time with our Clown Prince of Crime! How exciting. I apologize for any confusing content and the BS story about the scars. It seemed okay at the time, I'm too lazy to chance it now. **

**I don't own the Joker, but Kat is mine. Steal her, I steal your pulse. (Jk, but please leave her be.)**

**READ AND REVIEW! ^-^**


	6. NOT AN UPDATE :(

**Hey guys, this isn't an update, I just thought I'd let you know that chapter six is on the way, I haven't given up on this story yet! I hope **

**you'll forgive me, these past weeks have been too full of schoolwork and drama for me to get anything done. I'll try to make this coming **

**chapter interesting and Joker-ful!**

**Thanks for sticking around, clowns ;)**

**-Reyna**


	7. Chapter 7: Flee

I don't know how long I sat on the floor of the room, waiting for the Joker to come back and kill me. Why I waited, I didn't know. My whole situation was so strange, I just wasn't sure of what to do. So, hesitantly, I walked around the room, examining the new surroundings. There wasn't much besides the couch and pool table, but when I turned around, I saw something else. _A desk? _The Joker was organized enough to own a desk? With further inspection, I saw the desk was anything _but _organized. Pictures upon pictures of blurry, black shapes littered the table and spilled onto the floor. I picked one up and held it close to my face, trying to focus in the dim light. It was about the shape and size of an adult, with an undetermined gender. Clumsy, obviously hastily written words covered the photo. '_The Bats on June 29, Arkham Asylum.'_

There were other sentences on the picture too, but they had been violently scratched out. I dropped the photo, letting it flutter to the floor. I selected another picture, recognizing it immediately as the new DA, Harvey Dent. Across the top, someone had written: '_schemer: hahahahaha!' _Yep. This was definitely the Joker's "office." Suddenly, the fact that the Joker had a legitimate _office, _made me snort out loud with amusement. My snort was followed by a small giggle, then a loud "HA!" After that, I couldn't control my laughter. I was hysterical. I was laughing so hard; I could hear my hoots of laughter bouncing around the room. I doubled over, clutching my middle, with tears streaming down my face.

As quickly as it had come, my laughter stopped, and was soon replaced my sobs of desperation. I sat on the ugly green shag carpet and buried my face in my hands. My shoulders shook with moans and cries of fear. My mind foggy with anguish and tears, I ran to the exit. I wrapped my hands around the knob and turned. It rotated for about a centimeter, and then stopped. _Was it jammed? _I yanked and tried to turn the knob again, but it didn't budge. I was locked in. I pounded my fist against the worn door.

"No!" I struck the door again. "No, no, no! Let me out! Let me _go!"_ My voice broke on the last word, andI collapsed to the floor again. This time, under the soft glow of green light. I let my head fall forward and thump softy against the door. I clenched my eyes shut and ground my teeth, feeling the river of salty tears run against my cheek. Weakly, I hit the door with an open palm, and then let my hand slide down and come to a rest on my knee.

Taking a shaky breath, I shoved my feet against the door and scooted myself away. The locked door only taunted me, made me want to scream. My legs wobbled slightly as I hoisted myself to my feet. My body swayed as I walked to the worn-out couch in the corner. I trembled, curling up into a ball on the threadbare sofa. Letting out a weak sigh, I closed my eyes and slipped into a restless sleep.

….….….….…..…

The rustling of papers made me stir, and I lifted my head drowsily from the couch. My eyes, disgusting as it sounds, were glued shut by unshed tears. I started slightly when I found that I couldn't see, and put my hands to my eyes. I pulled gently on my left lid, trying to open my eye.

"Ow! Oh, shit!" Some of my eyelashes had torn. A cold laugh from behind me made me jump.

"_What, _is going on, Kat?" The Joker's unmistakable chuckle sent shivers down my spine as I sat, blind, on the couch. I had no choice but to answer.

"My eyes won't open," I grumbled. I felt his greasy heir brush against my cheek as he leaned in close to inspect my face. He giggled darkly and pulled away, creating a small breeze that smelled of greasepaint and gasoline. I strained my ears as I heard him walk. The door opened and then slammed shut, leaving me blind in the Joker's "study." I stood, and feeling my way along the back of the couch, walked to the center of the room. Or what I thought was the center. I stood there, unsure of what to do, as the Joker entered the room. I flinched as the door banged shut behind him. I heard his footsteps approaching me rapidly, and I automatically stepped back… Onto something hard. I tumbled backwards onto my butt, a small "Oof" huffing out of my mouth. The Joker laughed cruelly, and pulled me up.

"Stay still. This, uh, won't hurt a bit-ah." The Joker gripped my shoulder tightly with one hand, while the other pressed something to my left eye. I jerked my head back, making him growl. "I _said," _he snarled, yanking my hair until my chin jutted straight up, "Stay. Still." Again, he pressed the thing to my eye. I cringed again, until I realized what it was. The warm, damp, cloth soothed the tight skin around my lid and I groaned, relieved of the tugging sensation. The Joker left it there for a moment more, the transferred it to my other eye. I pushed my head earnestly into the cloth, loving the feeling. He removed the cloth and chuckled as my face followed the warm cloth involuntarily.

"Thanks, Joker." I sighed and turned to walk back to the couch. The Joker growled and grabbed my arm, pulling me towards him. I slammed into his chest and felt his arms snake around my waist. My eyes widened, and I struggled to get away from him, crying out when his arms tightened and made my abdomen cramp up. I hadn't eaten in two days, I realized. I probably didn't smell too great, either.

"What-ah, kind of _thank you _is that?" He purred in my ear, sending shivers of disgust down my spine. His arms constricted again around my middle and I gasped.

"T-thank you, sir." He only squeezed me tighter.

"Anytime, doll," he hissed. He bumped my back with his knee and released me. I tumbled to the floor, choking and gasping for air. Any gratefulness I'd felt for the Joker had left along with my blindness. My gags quickly grew into sobs and I was soon curled up in a ball on the floor, my tears seeping into filthy rug underneath my cheek. As the Joker stepped over me to go over to his couch, I could only cry. When he sat down on the couch with a piece of paper and a golf pencil, I could only wheeze and shake.

Looking up, I saw the Joker gazing intently down at me, only looking away from me to scribble intensely on the paper. I made a move to stand up, but the Joker had other plans.

"_Stay," _he commanded, raising a hand. I froze, and slowly, unsure of what he was doing, and eased myself back into the position I was in. After a few moments of awkward uncertainty, he beckoned me forward silently. I stood and made my way over to the couch. I hovered about a foot away, waiting him for him to say something. A few seconds went by, and like lightning, the Joker snagged my wrist and pulled me down onto the couch next to him. He held the paper up to my face.

"Do you see what you are, _doll?" _His tone was mocking.

"I don't understand, Joker." He shoved the paper closer to my face and sneered.

"_Look-ah." _I squinted in the dark and huffed irritably.

"I can't _see_ anything." The Joker growled something unintelligible, and reached across my chest. I leaned back, avoiding his arm as he switched on a light I'd never noticed before. A soft yellow glow spread across the room, making it seem more, I don't know, _homey. _

_ "This, _is what I'm talking about, Kat." He shoved the paper into my hands. I looked down, and saw myself. Curled and helpless on the floor. I wanted to scream, cry, and laugh at the same time. The Joker was a surprisingly good artist. The girl lying on the floor, unfortunately, looked exactly like me. Suddenly, I felt a huge wave of rage crash over me. I saw red, my hands shook, and without me realizing it, my fists opened and trapped the paper inside them, ripping its sides.

I crushed it, wanting to crush myself with it. I was vulnerable; the Joker surely knew that by now. I screamed and tore the paper, throwing bits of it to the floor and spitting on them.

"Ugh! I, am, so_,_ _weak_!" I screamed and cried until the paper had been ripped into nearly a thousand pieces. When all the paper was on the floor, I fell to my knees and punched the pieces, feeling the tears run in hot rivers down my face. The Joker let me be, until I started hitting myself. I punched myself in the temples and pulled at my hair. Seeing this, the Joker grabbed my wrists and raised them above my head. I looked at the papers on the floor and felt the Joker's grip on my wrists. As the Joker sunk to the floor beside me, I felt something inside me snap.

I was weak, I needed change. A change from my boring, tame life in suburbia. I growled at myself, jerked my hands away from the Joker, and wiped at my tears with hard fists. I stood, not looking away from the drawing fragments on the floor. I heard the Joker shift behind me, also standing. I felt his breath on my shoulder as he chuckled.

"You've, uh, _always_ been weak. You're attitude might be bad, but you're _weak-ah." _ I spun around and shoved him away from me.

"I might've always been weak, but tell me, _Joker," _I practically spat, "have you always been a _freak-ah?" _I crudely mocked his weird speech pattern as I breathed heavily, unaware of what I had just said. The Joker mumbled something underneath his breath menacingly, and closed the distance between us with one long stride. I was too slow to step back, for the Joker had my forearm in his gloved hand.

He pulled me forward with such force that my head snapped back, my hair brushing against my lower back. The Joker saw this and grabbed a fistful of my wavy hair, keeping my head back and my neck bent uncomfortably. Normally, I would have whimpered and apologized, but I only felt more pissed.

"Let go of me, clown!" I raised my free arm and tried to punch him in the face, but he was faster. Releasing my hair, he blocked my punch with his arm. Forcing my hand down, he used one of his hands to trap both of mine. I felt his long fingers wrap around mine as he dug his nails into my skin. I winced, but otherwise ignored the pain.

"Let, uh, me tell you a story, Kat." I struggled and felt his grip tighten.

"No thanks _freak," _I hissed. Could I have said anything more reckless?

"Well, _doll, _I don't think you have a _choice,_" he snarled in my face. Suddenly, without thinking, I threw my head forward, nailing the Joker between the eyes with my forehead. It hurt him, I knew that. So when the Joker's grip on my hands loosened, I was able to jerk out of his grasp and make a run for the door. I grabbed the knob with my sweaty palms. Luckily, the door was unlocked, and I was able to run down the hall out of the Joker's study.

As I was about to turn the corner when I felt a small breeze of air next to my cheek. Ahead behind me I heard something thump into the wall. I turned and saw a knife buried to the hilt in the drywall. _He threw his knife at me! _I hesitated, then reached behind me and yanked the knife out of the wall. I might need it.

As I ran down the dim hall, I listened for the Joker's heavy footsteps behind me. Like before, I heard nothing. That didn't mean he wasn't going to jump me like he did earlier. So I kept my eyes peeled as well. Up ahead, I could hear the voices of the thugs as they discussed one of the Joker's bank heist plans.

"It's never gonna work! The Boss has finally gone off the deep end." I heard another thug laugh.

"As if that hasn't already happened." All the goons laughed at his comment. I winced inwardly for the man. He'd be lucky if the Joker didn't hear his insult ricocheting off the walls of the open space they were sitting in. I reached the doorway of the warehouse and paused. I wasn't sure how I was going to successfully sneak past all the armed thugs. Whatever I was going to do, though, had to be done _fast. _

I tiptoed in the shadows, hoping desperately that the thugs would just ignore me. The knife in my hand, however, seemed to have something else planned. Because of my nerves, my palms were unusually sweaty. As I took another well thought-out step, the knife slipped from my fingers and clattered noisily to the concrete floor. All heads turned to me. _Shit. _

"Hey!" Jack, of all people, broke the silence. I bolted. Cries of "get her," 'shoot her," "don't shoot her," and "boss," could surely be heard throughout the entire building. Shots rang out in a quick burst of deafening noise. I screamed and ducked, not breaking my mad dash to the doors.

"Idiot! Don't shoot her!" Jack's voice rose above the noise of the thugs when I finally reached the doors. I pulled on the metal handle and to my surprise, it swung open easily. I ran out into the cool evening air. I could hear some cars in the distance, and the faint beeping of a crosswalk light. I ran in the direction of the cars. I needed to get out into the public, and then someone would help me.

I sprinted down the street and heard the doors of the warehouse bang open, releasing a stream of angry men onto the sidewalk. Their curses and threats meant next to nothing to me. I was almost free. But the lack of nutrition for the past couple days left me physically exhausted, and my strides were becoming increasingly slower as the adrenaline pumping through my veins wore off.

Finally, up ahead, I saw someone. A pedestrian crossing the street.

"Hey!" I yelled, hoping to catch his attention. He turned, and saw me. Aaanndd the group of angry men chasing me. I saw the horror on his face as he turned, and ran in the opposite direction.

"Coward!" I screamed. "You fucking coward!" He only ducked his head and ran faster. I was doomed. I could hear the huffs of breath escaping my pursuers lips as they thundered towards me. I felt my legs wobble, threatening to collapse.

"Please," I cried out loud. "Someone help me!" I heard a breathy chuckle almost directly behind me. I could almost picture the thug's hand reaching out to grab my hair. In a conclusive attempt at survival, my body released one final shot of adrenaline, and I pulled quickly away from the thug. Rounding a corner, I slammed into something tall and hard. I screamed, thinking it was one of the Joker's men. The man grabbed my wrists and stopped me.

"NO! Let me go!" I started crying and yanked myself away from the man, finally looking up into his face. _Bruce Wayne?_

"Are you okay, Miss?" He asked, confused. I turned around and saw Jack, running towards me at full tilt.

"No!" I yelled. "He's trying to hurt me, please!" Bruce looked behind me and saw whom I was talking about. Quickly, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me across the street towards a sleek, black car.

"Get in," he commanded. I obliged quickly. Jack had stopped running, and was now glaring daggers at me through the tinted windows.

Bruce quickly climbed in and started the car. It came to life with a silent purr as the rest of the thugs caught up with Jack, staring meanly at the car. To my horror, he raised his hand and the men raised their guns. This caught Bruce's attention.

"Down!" He howled, and he floored the gas pedal. The rear window shattered, and an explosion of safety glass rained down on the back of my head. A bullet whizzed between us and hit the rearview mirror. I sneaked a peak up at Bruce, who was hunched over the steering wheel with a clenched jaw.

Soon, the gunshots faded away, and Bruce and I were sitting in silence. He looked over at me, studying my face. I blushed, I probably looked like shit.

"Are you Katrina Wood?" My mouth opened, _Bruce Wayne knows my name?_

I stuttered stupidly.

"Uh, um, yeah, that's me?" Bruce nodded.

"You've been all over the news lately." I must have seemed shocked, because Bruce laughed quietly. "You were missing for four days, what did you expect?"

"Four days…" I mused. It had seemed like four years. Suddenly, I thought of Mom.

"Oh god, Mr. W-Wayne? Can you take me home?" He glanced sideways at me, raising an eyebrow. "OH! No, no, no, I mean to _my _house…" Bruce chuckled and reached for his GPS.

"What's your address?"

**So sorry for the short chapter! But I need to start fresh with a new one instead of transitioning awkwardly into the next bit. Hope you like Brucie, he might be staying awhile. Let me know what you think! READ AND REVIEW :D**

**-Reyna**


	8. Chapter 8: False Hope?

_I was trapped. I stood in a large open room filled with wooden crates decorated with sloppy red paint. There was no door. Behind me, stood a man. I couldn't turn around; my feet were glued to the floor. I could hear him, though. I could hear his heavy breathing being occasionally cut off by a small chuckle. I shook and opened my mouth to scream. Instead of screaming though, a hysterical giggle escaped my lips. I heard the man step closer and my laughter escalated. I bent over, laughing so hard it felt as if my sides were splitting open. The man took another step and put his hand on the back of my hair, stroking it roughly. Grabbing a handful of my locks, he pulled me up until the back of my head was pushing against his chest. I looked up into cold, dark eyes as they got closer and closer to my face. The man's lips, about an inch away from mine, parted as he released a soft but cruel laugh._

_ "What-ah, is so funny, Doll?" The man grinned, scars stretching as he leaned even closer. _

Abruptly, I sat up, disoriented. I wasn't in a warehouse and I wasn't in the clutches of the Joker. It was all a dream. Well, _most _of it.

I rubbed my eyes against the harsh light streaming through the window as I became aware of my surroundings. I was in an all-white room, with tubes sticking out of my arm and a beeping monitor by my bedside. In a hard plastic chair next to the monitor, was my mother. She was slouched over, obviously asleep.

I reached out to gently brush her hair away from her eyes. As I did, a few strays caught in the pulse monitor and were pulled out. Her eyes fluttered open and met mine. A weak smile crossed my face as I looked into her eyes.

"Sorry to wake you." My voice was a little more than a whisper as it grated against my throat. My mom choked out a sob and pressed the palm of my pale hand to her cheek. I felt the hot tears on my fingertips.

"Why am I here?" My mother sniffled and met my eyes again.

"Severe dehydration, and some b-bruising of the tissue around your ribs." I mouthed _oh, _and looked down at my pale blue hospital gown.

"When can we go home, Mom?" My voice was a little stronger, now that I was more awake.

"I'm not sure but-" Her sentence was cut off by a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in," my mother called softly. The door opened and a dozen 'get well soon' balloons floated into the room. Behind them was a man holding a bouquet of flowers so tall they covered his face.

"Oh, sorry about the balloons, Ms. Wood." His voice was deep and comforting as it rumbled out of his chest.

"It's no problem, Mr. Wayne." My mother stood to collect the stray balloons. Wait. _Mr. Wayne? As in Bruce? _I gasped, and a sharp pain burst in my chest, making me hiss quietly.

Bruce Wayne set the bouquet down alongside the other two on the wide windowsill. His grin was wide and confident.

"How are you feeling this afternoon, Katrina?"

"Fine, thanks. And it's Kat." My response might have been rude, but Bruce didn't seem to notice, for his smile only grew.

"Kat, sorry." There was a moment of silence; everyone seemed to be waiting for me to say something. Realization hit me like a bullet.

"Oh! Thank you, Mr. Wayne. Thank you, thank you, thank you _so much." _ He reached out and grasped my hand firmly in his, squeezing it gently.

"You are _so _welcome." His voice was soft and full of care. Bruce then stood and shook my mother's hand.

"It's nice to see that you and your daughter are both doing alright, but I'm afraid I have to get back to work." I waved from my bed and my mother stood to open the door for him.

"Oh, and Kat," he turned in the doorway, a smug grin on his face. "Prepare yourself." I raised an eyebrow.

"For what?" Bruce cleared his throat and walked back to my bedside, lowering his voice so my mother couldn't hear.

"You were gone for four days without a trace, coincidentally, the Joker _also _made himself scarce. Only about four hours after you escaped, he made himself seen on Gotham's radar." I mouthed "oh," and nodded. Bruce smiled and shook my hand once more before leaving the room. My mother closed the door behind him and then gave me The Look. I shrugged.

"What?" Mom approached my bed, not breaking eye contact.

"What did he say to you?" _Oh, no. _If Bruce hadn't wanted my mother to know, it was for a good reason. I tried to plaster a look of embarrassment onto my face.

"He told me… That he admired me and my bravery." Mom smiled.

"Oh, that's sweet. Well, are you ready to go?" I grinned widely. Boy, was I ever.

After a nurse came into my room and disconnected me a hellish web of tubes, I dressed in a pair of hospital sweatpants and a plain blue t-shirt. I'd been able to shower before we left, so I didn't look _too _bad. But as my mom and I stepped out of the hospital doors, we were swarmed by reporters and photographers. Men and women shoved each other and screamed questions in my direction. One young male reporter was able to climb out of the mob and shove his microphone into my face. He was wearing a baseball cap and a cheap sweatshirt. I couldn't see his eyes, but his smile was wide.

"Miss Wood, is it true that you were kidnapped by the Joker? Are you hurt? Did the Joker in any way abuse you sexually?" I froze.

"I, uh, well… I-I'm not-" My mom grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the man.

"Come on, sweetheart, the car's this way." She tugged once more on my elbow, shaking me out of it.

When we were in the car and driving away from the hospital, the realization hit. I'd never told anyone about my kidnapping. I'd only woken up _hours _ago, for crying out loud! How did Bruce know? How did that reporter know? I groaned and rubbed my eyes with my fists, pushing with the palms of my hands until small fireworks splayed across the inside of my eyelids. I felt my mother's hand distractedly stroke my hair. I looked up and saw her; eyes still fixed on the road, but filled with tears. Mine filled also, when I remembered where we were the day of my kidnapping. Where I said what very well could have been the last thing my mother had ever heard me say. I grabbed her hand with mine, feeling her fingernails dig into the back of my hand slightly as she squeezed it lovingly. I was full on crying now. Sobs racked my body as I hunched over, still holding my mother's hand. The car slowed and came to a stop. I was home. I heard my mother unbuckle as she leaned in towards me.

"Shhh, honey. It's okay. You're okay." I wrapped my arms around my middle and rocked slightly, feeling my mom's tears soak into my hair. _I'm okay; everything's going to be okay._

…...

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, Katrina. You can wait a couple more months." My mom looked into my eyes, concerned, as we walked into the Student Union building at the university. I laughed unsteadily.

"I have to go to college, Mom. I've been putting it off for too long." Despite my confident tone, I was terrified. I wrung my hands nervously as my eyes studied everyone around us. My attention was focused mainly on all the men. And although I knew the Joker was now locked up in Arkham, paranoia had haunted me since the day I woke up in the Gotham General. It made me jump at loud noises and flinch away when someone near me moved unexpectedly. It had landed me in some very awkward situations.

Once, when I was waiting in line at the Bank, a man behind me brushed my lower back with his elbow as he reached into his bag. Without thinking, I'd whipped around and punched him in the face. He'd collapsed, the papers from his bag spilling out onto the floor. Four hours in the police station and one written apology later, I found out I was no longer allowed on the bank's property. My mother and I laugh about it now, though sometimes I feel guilty about sucker punching the poor guy. I can only imagine the story he told his friends. _Yeah, some crazy bitch at the bank socked me in the face and broke my nose. I know, right? _In a way, I was proud of myself. If it had been a situation where I'd actually been in danger, I could have done far worse. I would have broken ribs, gouged out eyes… Oh, well. What's done is done. At least my mom knew why I was like this.

A hand on my shoulder made me jump. I shoved the hand and turned quickly around. Alarm flashed across my mother's face. I let her hand go, realizing what I could have done.

"Oh my god, Mom, I'm so sorry!" I threw myself into her arms, earning looks of confusion from those around us. I mean, what kind of nineteen-year-old still goes running to Mommy when she cries?

"Let's go home, honey. You need a little more time." I could only nod in agreement as my mom steered me out of the building with her arm around me.

The car ride home was filled with sincere apologies and tears. Me being the one crying, not my mom. Pulling into the driveway, I noticed that the front door was cracked. Did I do that?

"Hey mom? Look at the door." My mom looked up from the ignition and froze. We sat there for a minute, not wanting to leave the safety of the car.

"Well, maybe I left it open. I was in such a rush to leave…" Her sentence trailed off as she looked at my face. "Okay," she sighed. She pulled out her phone and dialed the number for GCPD. As she talked to the cop on the other line, I got out of the car. I walked through the grass, the wet blades dampening my shoes.

"Katrina! The police are on their way!" I heard her get out of the car. "Honey?" I waved my hand dismissively.

"I know, I just… Want to see." I climbed up onto the porch and pushed the door open the rest of the way. Glancing around the living room, I noted that everything seemed to be in order. I looked down at the carpet at my feet. No footprints, either. I checked the kitchen and the bathroom, too. Both were undisturbed. Maybe we _had _left the door open.

I then walked up the stairs and towards my bedroom. The door was wide open, revealing a corner of my bed and my dresser. I walked to my bed and gasped.

"Katrina?" I heard my mother call from the doorway downstairs, but my attention was focused on the lime green piece of paper on my pillow. I picked it up with a shaking hand and unfolded the thick paper. Written in sloppy print on the inside was: _Hi, doll. Looks like you've been getting along quite nicely. I just wanted to remind you, Kats don't always land on their feet. _

The note slipped between my fingers and fluttered to the floor. Was this some kind of sick joke? I sat heavily on my bed and began hyperventilating, tugging at my hair. My head was buried under a pillow when my mom walked in.

"Katrina!" She rushed to my side and clasped my hands in hers. "What's wrong, are you hurt? Did something happen?" Slowly I sat up, letting the pillow slide off the back of my head. With a quaking finger, I pointed to the paper on the floor. She bent over and scooped it up. Slowly, I saw her eyes follow the black scrawl on the paper. Her face went pale, and she too dropped the note on the floor. She swallowed loudly, and closed her eyes.

"Mom?" Her breath hitched, and she opened her eyes, now brimming with tears. "Mom," I took a shaky breath, "We need to go. Now. If the J-Jo-, if _he _knows where we live, we-we're not safe." _That _got her attention. She squeezed my hand firmly and jumped off my bed.

"Right- Let's go. Pack a small bag, we're leaving in fifteen." I nodded numbly as my mom zipped out of my room. I took a deep breath to steady my hands and began packing my clothes.

I'd only managed to tuck a couple pairs of pants and three shirts when I heard a yelp from down the hall. Not a scream, exactly, more of a surprised squeak. I poked my head out into the hall.

"Mom? Mom, are you okay?" Another sound. A muffled cough? I walked through the hall nervously. "Hey, are you-"

"_Katrina! _Get out of here! Get out-" My mom's desperate scream was abruptly cut off when a heavy thump sounded from her room. I froze. I wanted to help Mom, I wanted to scream, and I wanted to cry. But my feet were glued to the floor.

So I stayed where I was, ears strained. I flinched when a dark chuckle sounded from my mom's room and snapped me out of my horrified stupor. I charged screaming into my mother's room, hoping to catch the trespasser by surprise. To my own amazement, it worked. I crashed into the tall man at full speed, swinging my fists. He grunted and toppled into her mirror, which shattered. Causing splinters of sharp glass to spray over the carpet. I caught a glimpse of my mom, lying unconscious and broken on the floor. My fury raged as I pounded the man into the carpet.

I only managed a few good punches before the man squirmed out from underneath me and clipped me in the jaw. I screamed, and felt a flow of blood running out of my mouth along with something hard and small on my tongue. I spit, sending a fountain of blood onto the floor along with one of my teeth. The man pushed me, sending my body into the splintered glass on the floor. A scream of pain ripped through my throat as shards of glass pushed their way into the skin of my palms and right cheek. I whimpered as the man sat on my back, pinning my arms behind me. I could smell his foul breath as he leaned in close to my ear, sending shivers of disgust throughout my body.

"Did you, uh, miss me, _doll?" _

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to update. I got kinda stuck and I had _tons _of homework. **

**But I'm thinking about cutting the story off. Kat seems a little too Mary Sue-ish and the whole thing's a little cliché. Read and review and let me know your opinion about Kat's character development. **

**Thanks,**

**Reyna**


End file.
